Beverage containers



July 16, 1957 w. A. PUGH, SR 2,799,439

BEVERAGE CONTAINERS Filed Aug. 19, 1954 23 William A. Pqg/I, Sr.

INVENTOR.

H I I BY United States Patent 2,799,439 BEVERAGE CONTAINERS William A. Pugh, Sr., Chicago, Ill.

Application August 19, 1954, Serial No. 450,833 4 Claims. (Cl. 229-7) My invention relates to improvements in beverage containers of the peak top carton type commonly used in the dairy trade.

As is well known, such containers are formed with front and rear top walls converging upwardly to a peak, the front wall being provided with a pull-up closure flap for a pouring opening in said front wall.

The primary object of my invention is to provide means attachable to the top front wall of such a container for supporting a sipper straw for withdrawal outwardly of the top through the pouring opening when the closure top is pulled up to uncover the opening.

Another object is to provide means for the above purpose which will not interfere with the normal use of the pouring opening in either emptying or filling the container.

Still another object is to provide means for the above purposes which is inexpensive to manufacture and attach.

Other and subordinate objects, together with the precise nature of my improvements, will be readily understood when the succeeding description and claims are read with reference to the drawing accompanying and forming part of the specification.

In said drawing:

Figure l is a view in perspective of a beverage container embodying my improvements and illustrating the closure flap opened and the sipper straw drawn upwardly out of the pouring opening;

Figure 2 is an enlarged view partly in vertical section and partly in side elevation of the same but with the closure flap closed and the sipper straw in normal position as when not in use;

Figure 3 is a view in horizontal section taken on the line 33 of Figure 2, and

Figure 4 is an enlarged view in perspective of a hanger member forming part of my improved sipper straw supporting means.

Referring to the drawing by numerals, in the preferred embodiment of my invention illustrated therein, the numeral 1 designates the body of the conventional cardboard beverage container of the type previously identified, 3 the peak type top with front and rear upwardly converging walls 5, 7, and 9 the pull-up closure flap for the pouring opening 11 which is formed in an inner layer 13 of the front wall providing a rest for the closure flap 9 when said flap is closed. The numeral 15 designates the usual upper portion of the front wall 5 folded over and stapled to a top edge 17 of rear wall 7 to provide a carrying grip on the container.

According to my invention, a hanger member 19 for a 2,799,439 Patented July 16, 1957 "ice The portions 23, 25 of the member 19 are provided with angular outturned flanges 27, 29 by means of which and brads 31, 33 said member 19 is attached to said front wall 5. The member 19 is preferably formed of cardboard or the like preformed into shape by bending, and the bottom portion 23 is formed with a central opening 34 vertically aligned with the pouring opening 11 for slidably receiving the sipper straw 21.

The sipper straw 21 comprises outer and inner sections 35, 37 telescoping for sliding of the inner section 37 upwardly out of the outer section 35. The inner section 37 is formed with a rolled upper end collar 39 for preventing said inner section from dropping down through the opening 34, and the outer section 35 is provided with a similar rolled collar 41 below said opening to prevent said outer section from being pulled upwardly through said opening 34.

An apertured finger grip tab 43 is provided on the inner section 37 below the collar 39 which normally seats on the bottom portion 23 and suspends the inner section 37 by the collar 39 to depend through the opening 34. The sections 35, 37 flare downwardly sufliciently to prevent the inner section 37 from being pulled out of the outer section 35.

As will now be seen, when the closure flap 9 is open, as in Figure 1, the tab 43 may be grasped to pull the inner section 37 out of the pouring opening 11 for use of the sipper straw 21. The inner section 37 may be slid downwardly below said opening 11 and into the outer section 35 when the sipper straw is not in use, and the closure flap 9 closed so that said straw 21 when not in use is entirely hidden and enclosed in the container. At this point, attention is directed to the fact that the tab 43 is slidable on the inner section 37 of the sipper straw 21 into different positions on said inner section and into friction gripping relation thereto. This feature facilitates the use of the tab in pulling the inner section 37 outwardly. The member 19 between its flanges 27, 29 is spaced from the front wall 5 so that liquid may be poured past said member 19 out of the pouring opening 11 and said member will not interfere in any way with emptying or filling the container.

The foregoing will, it is believed, suffice to impart a clear understanding of my invention, without further explanation.

Manifestly, the invention is susceptible of modification, without departing from the inventive concept, and right is herein reserved to such modifications as fall within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. In a beverage container having upwardly converging front and rear top walls, a pouring opening in the front wall, and a pull-up closure flap on said front wall for said opening, a right angled hanger member on said front wall inside the container and having a bottom portion below said opening and a like dimensioned rear portion at the rear of said opening, said bottom portion having a central opening therein, means attaching said portions to said top wall, and a sipper straw slidable in said central opening upwardly and downwardly into and out of said container through the pouring opening when said closure flap is pulled upwardly, and a collar on said straw above said bottom for limiting downward sliding of said straw.

2. In a beverage container according to claim 1, and an apertured hand grip tab on said sipper straw above said bottom portion and slidably engageable with said collar for grasping to slide said straw upwardly.

3. In a beverage container according to claim 1, said member having right angled side edges spaced from said 3 a front wall and forming therewith pouring openings between said top wall and said member.

4. In a beverage container according to claim 2, said tab being slidablealong said straw and tiltable into different friction gripping positions thereon 'to facilitate sliding said straw. v p

References Cited in the file of this patent 1 UNITED STATES PATENTS Bennett Oct. 22, 1940 Grant Nov. 3, 1942 Humbert Jan. 8, 1946 Georgopoulos Feb. 26, 1946 Lynch Sept. 28, 1948 FOREIGN PATENTS France May 30, 1932 Great Britain Apr. 3 1952 

